NEWS: NBS publishes International BIM Report 2016

Free report gives insight into BIM adoption and maturity across five diverse countries

NBS has launched its International BIM Report 2016 which serves to document the complex and ever evolving picture of BIM adoption across the UK, the Czech Republic, Canada, Japan and Denmark.

The report, which includes survey data, analysis and opinion, highlights the different stages of BIM development in different countries, and how the effects of governmental policy (such as the UK government’s BIM mandate) are starting to be felt.

Who is it for?

• Manufacturers – already embarking on BIM or just starting to consider it

• Policy makers. Key findings

• A complex picture – different stages of development are evident in different countries but a broad similarity in views about BIM is evident.

• BIM is seen as the future of project information – in every country, more than three quarters of respondents agree.

• In all countries (bar the Czech Republic) BIM awareness is nearly universal (at over 90%).

• The UK and Canada (surveyed in 2013, and again here) report increased numbers of BIM users – the UK has moved from 39% to 48%, Canada from 64% to 67%, though we urge caution as the term may have different interpretations in different countries.

• Within five years all countries expect BIM to be adopted by over 80% of design professionals with the next 12 months seeing the most rapid rate of adoption.

• Typically 90% of respondents are using BIM to produce 3D visualisations. Clash detection is used by more than three quarters of BIM users in all countries. Performance analysis is also widely used with Denmark leading the way.

• The UK scored highest for agreement that government ‘is on the right track’ and ‘BIM will be required for public sector work’ – suggesting in the UK at least, the design community is open to the idea of the government taking the lead on BIM.

• When it comes to information exchange, Denmark leads the way in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) use – with 65% of respondents having used them on projects compared to 55% in Japan, 49% in the UK and 45% in the Czech Republic.

• Most respondents recognised that BIM is a process that demands changes in workflow, practice and procedure. Only a small minority of non-users (less than a fifth) say they would rather not adopt BIM. Encouragingly, those that have adopted BIM rarely regret having done so.